Alarm bells over exodus of senior players from Victorian Premier Cricket

As experienced players move on, one top club official says Premier Cricket is fast becoming an “aspirational competition’’.

Premier Cricket has lost a string of star players in the off-season.

Top Cricket Victoria official Shaun Graf says he’s unconcerned at the number of experienced players to have left Victorian Premier Cricket in the off-season.

Former international Cameron White (Melbourne), 10,000-run batsman Simon Hill (Camberwell Magpies), ex-Victorian player Aaron Ayre (Essendon), quickies Steve Reid (Melbourne Uni), Andrew Perrin (Prahran) and Matt Doric (Essendon), Ryder Medal star Steve Taylor (Northcote), former Sri Lankan Test spinner Suraj Randiv (Dandenong), and Melbourne University stalwarts Liam Scammell, James McNeil and Jarrod Martignago are among the players who have moved on.

Heavy-scoring Carlton wicketkeeper-batsman Brayden Stepien has also departed, trying his luck in Tasmania.

And last night Geelong opener Eamonn Vines announced he was also going to Tassie.

Vines said he was keen to “pursue cricket at the highest level’’.

“It has been a hard decision to leave, however, it is one I believe is necessary for me to continue to grow as a cricket in my efforts to play first-class cricket,’’ he said.

The exodus has been a major talking point among clubs, with some officials concerned the standard of the competition will fall next season.

That in turn would make it more difficult for the state selectors to assess a player’s ability and for players to progress to first-class ranks.

Mike Ronchi.

Former Premier Cricket general manager Mike Ronchi, now the general manager of Frankston Peninsula, said Cricket Victoria should be worried about the loss of so much experience.

He said Premier Cricket was becoming an “aspirational competition’’, with senior and even young players moving on if they believed they couldn’t advance to first-class cricket.

Ronchi said the money on offer in Sub-District and local cricket was too good to turn down and was depleting Premier teams.

But Graf said the situation wasn’t new.

“Historically we’ve lost players every year to other competitions, whether it be to the Subbies or local cricket,’’ he said.

“I think this year a couple of senior players have moved on. You’d like them to stay in Premier Cricket, but that’s just a sign of the times.

“There are always reasons for that, be it family or recently married or a change in job that means they can’t commit the time to play Premier Cricket. You’re always going to have situations like that. I think that’s a natural progression, and clubs have got to regenerate, bring players in at the bottom end, younger players through the fourths and thirds and then the seconds, and then hopefully they go into the firsts and have an opportunity to do well and be in the eyes of the state selectors.

Premier Cricket great Simon Hill has joined the VSDCA.

“It’s not unique. I’ve seen it for many, many years. At the moment we’ve had this situation where local clubs have got a lot of money and been able to ease out a few of the older players. But while we have young players with ambition and ability you’ll always have a very good Premier Cricket competition.’’

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Graf said he wasn’t concerned the standard of Premier Cricket would slip.

He said there were a lot of talented players coming through.

“As I said, it’s the job of the clubs to regenerate, get young players into their system, and move them through the XIs and hopefully into state squads,’’ Graf said.

“Those (departing) players have all been great servants of Premier Cricket and their clubs, and in the case of ‘Hilly’ (Hill) and Doric and Aaron Ayre, they’ve had a taste of playing at the next level. But if they don’t think they can go all the way and get a contract for Victoria or Australia and can’t make a living out of cricket, they’ve got to look at other options. I think that’s what has happened and it’s been happening for a long time.

“The state selectors would certainly like to have a really strong competition with a great blend of youth and senior players. We certainly don’t want to lose all the senior players because they’re so important in educating and mentoring young players. ’’

Essendon star Aaron Ayre has joined Coburg in the VSDCA.

Graf said officials needed to give thought to involving more former players at clubs and use their experience on coaching panels.

He said six-a-side or double-wicket competitions might be one way to “bring them back into club land’’.

Graf said Premier clubs offered players the best standard, conditions and facilities.

He said Cricket Victoria was also putting a focus on improving thirds and fourths grounds “so that they’re seen as superior to local grounds’’.

Ronchi said the calibre of player to have left Premier Cricket in the past two years made for an “awesome list’’.

He said it could be suggested that Premier Cricket “no longer has the best players playing, because it can’t afford them and they’re being poached’’.

“What it means is that Premier Cricket is now looking the best aspirational players playing … it’s become an aspirational competition,’’ Ronchi said.

“What you’ve got happening is even young players tipping out if they’re not making state programs or the state team, because there’s good money to play locally or they can’t be bothered making the commitment to Premier Cricket. It seems to be driving the competition into more of a pathway competition to state representation, rather than being the best competition with the best cricketers.

“It’s fast becoming the next version of YPL (Youth Premier League).’’

He said “experience and hardness and mentoring’’ was being lost with senior players moving on.

Ronchi said there needed to be a salary cap below Premier Cricket to control player payments and that CV needed to start listening to players and coaches.

“Premier Cricket needs to adapt to today’s generation and their market, because the voices of current players and coaches are not being heard.

“They don’t have a voice at the table because the game is structured and formatted by people who played District cricket two or three generations ago.’’